Potential
by writergal24
Summary: The discovery of a budding Hogwarts relationship brings James Potter and Lily Evans together in new ways. Rated M for themes and language. Wolfstar. Jily. Oneshot.


**I actually wrote this story years ago, but I just rediscovered it and polished it up, so... hope you enjoy!**

* * *

"Lily!" James exclaimed, walking quickly towards her.

Lily tried her best not to roll her eyes. She and James had finished patrolling the school for Head duties not five minutes earlier. He had claimed to be tired and said he was going to bed, which Lily had taken to mean that she could study in the Common Room without having to worry about him annoying her.

But, here he was.

"Yes, Potter?" Lily responded, dropping her quill back into the ink pot.

James climbed onto the chair next to her and leaned in as close as he could. "I have a secret to tell you."

"What could have happened in the last five minutes…?"

This was apparently the wrong question to ask. James smiled largely. "A lot. In fact, I think my life has taken a complete 180."

"Don't tell me you've fallen for another girl," she replied dryly.

"Never. Speaking of which, the secret does have to do with love…"

Lily frowned. "Oh, just tell me before we get into some big argument."

"I knew you were smart. Okay, so I went upstairs to my dorm. And I wasn't really paying attention because I was thinking about this Quidditch play… you're right, that's not important. Anyway, I went into my dorm, and what do I find but…" James took a furtive glance around him, and then leaned in to whisper something into Lily's ear.

"Bloody Merlin," Lily whispered as James pulled his head away. A smile spread over her face. "Finally!"

James' eyebrows crunched beneath his glasses. "You knew about this?"

"Please. Have you seen the way that those two look at each other when the other isn't looking?"

(Actually, if asked the more perceptive students and faculty at Hogwarts, they would tell you that it was quite similar to the way that James and Lily looked at each other when the other wasn't looking.)

James looked even more confused by this comment, because he hadn't noticed in the slightest.

"Wait. So you just walked in?"

"Well, yes. But, they, er, were a bit too preoccupied to notice. I left right away. They didn't even know I was there."

"So they don't know that you saw?" Lily asked.

He shook his head.

"I think you should tell them. Best not to keep secrets."

"Oh, no. I am not telling them. I'm going to have way too much fun scaring the shite out of them the next couple weeks," James said, a devious smile growing.

Lily pushed her papers to the side and sat up. She gave him a look that wasn't too far off from Mrs. Potter's expression when James nearly failed Potions in second year. "You will not. Imagine how much stress they're already under about this. You are not going to add to that. I mean, imagine how the rest of the school will react…"

James didn't respond.

"Potter. You – you are okay with this, right?" she asked cautiously.

"Of course I am. They're my best mates. I want them to be happy."

A smile grew on Lily's face. "That's really nice of you. Most of the boys at Hogwarts would have been too immature to handle this."

"Well, you know me."

"But you still have to be nice to them," Lily said, regaining some of her sternness.

"Relax, I'm not going to tease them or emotionally traumatize them. I'm just going to drop some subtle and not-so-subtle hints that I know what's going on until they become so paranoid that they confess."

Lily laughed. "As horrible as that sounds, I have a feeling that it's going to be lots of fun to watch."

"Oh, it will be. And you, Miss Evans, have a front row seat."

The pair smiled at each other for a long moment.

James sighed. "Anyway, I should probably go find somewhere to spend the night. And maybe I should find Peter, too, before he makes the discovery the same way I did."

"Good plan."

"Night, Evans," James said. He walked away, murmuring to himself, "Remus and Sirius. Who would've thought?"

* * *

They were sitting at breakfast a few days later. James had whispered in Lily's ear on the way down that she might want to sit near the Marauders that morning. Halfway through breakfast, James shot Lily a look, and then turned to his friends.

"I heard some Hufflepuffs talking about your butt the other day, Sirius," James announced.

Peter guffawed, practically choking on his pumpkin juice.

"Oh, yeah? Which ones would those be?" Sirius asked.

"Oh, just some fifth year girls. But I was just surprised – I didn't realize that your butt was that cute," James told him.

Lily had to press her roll into her mouth to hold the giggles in.

"I'll have you know, I have the cutest butt in the Black family," Sirius said, patting the side of his leg.

"Compared to who, your grandmother?" James responded.

"I've met Sirius' grandmother, and she does _not_ have a cute butt," Peter added, with a satisfied smile.

James frowned for a moment. "What do you think, Lily?"

Lily actually was the one to choke on her pumpkin juice. Sirius hollowed with laughter. "I… I think that Sirius has a very nice butt."

"Right back at you, Ginger," Sirius laughed.

"What about you, Remus?" James asked.

Remus had been sitting quietly next to Sirius, his cheeks steadily gaining color throughout the conversation. "I-" he sputtered as all eyes turned to look at him.

"Oh, James, we all know that you just want to know if everyone else finds my butt as attractive as you do," Sirius interrupted. "I'm very flattered. I would kiss you right now, but we might spoil some first year's innocence. And I think Evans would slap me. But really, it's not you, it's me."

"Very funny, Sirius," James said, rolling his eyes. He glanced at Lily, who had also blushed, the pink clashing with her hair.

* * *

"So, Sirius, had any good shags recently?" James asked nonchalantly.

Lily tried to focus on the lake to keep herself from laughing, but she noticed Sirius' entire body stiffen, which prompted a slight giggle to emerge from her lips.

Sirius, who had been lounging on the grass, propped himself up so he could look at the pair that sat next to him. "Really, Prongs, I'm not sure that's an appropriate topic of conversation for this particular moment. I don't think that Lily would appreciate it."

"Oh, come off it, Sirius," Lily said. "We all know that you've never had a problem discussing your sexual experiences in front of me before."

James nodded. "That's very true, Evans. Has something changed? Shag somebody really good?"

"I don't-"

"You can tell us," Lily encouraged.

Sirius looked back and forth between the pair for a moment, and then his eyes narrowed. "For fuck's sake, what's with all the interest in my sex life? When was the last time that either of you two had a good shag?" Sirius pushed himself off of the ground. "You two shag, then you can come ask me for details." He stormed off.

Lily counted to three, and which point she was sure Sirius was out of earshot, and then she dissolved into laugher, and James did the same. "That was so mean," she gasped between laughs.

"But it was so good," James said. He took a deep breath. "Did he tell us to go shag each other though?"

Lily rolled her eyes. "It was Sirius – is that a comment that surprises you at this point?"

James smiled slightly – and maybe there was a bit of a blush. "I suppose it shouldn't."

* * *

It happened when they let their guard down and kissed in a deserted corner.

Which suddenly wasn't very deserted anymore.

A Gryffindor fourth year, who had disappeared before either of them could get a word out. And, when they arrived back at the Common Room, the rumors were already spreading. Their names were whispered from every corner of the room. The boys stared at their feet and then practically ran to James and Peter.

James and Peter, who hadn't heard yet.

* * *

"Has anyone got a problem with my two best friends being in love?" James demanded, his voice roaring over the Common Room. His power was physically demonstrated in the pair of badges he wore on his robe, but it was really in his voice and the way that the people would stop to listen to him.

"If you do have a problem," James continued, "I hope that you will keep it to yourself. I don't want to hear that _anyone_ has said _anything_ offensive to them. You can only imagine what punishment will await you if you do."

Lily grabbed his elbow, trying to restrain him, but he gently shook her off.

"Everyone deserves to love who they want to love. And everyone who thinks otherwise can go to Azkaban, for all I care. So leave them alone."

James' eyes swept over the room, finally landing on Sirius and Remus, who looked like they didn't know what to think. Then he left the common room through the portrait hole.

Lily followed him out into the hallway.

He rested his forehead against the wall. "What do you need, Evans?"

"I wanted to tell you that what you did in there was one of the bravest and nicest things I've seen here."

"I can't change how people feel."

Lily gently pulled on his arm so that he was facing her. "I know. But you can try," she said.

There was a silence as they looked at each other for a long moment. Then Lily took a step forward and rose onto her tiptoes. She pressed her lips against his cheek, slowly, and whispered, "Thank you."

Lily spun around and began to walk back to the common room. She stopped suddenly, though, and turned around. "I used to hate you, you know? You were an immature, mischievous little boy. You made me crazy. But…"

"But?"

"I don't know what I feel anymore," Lily said, her voice breaking.

James studied her face and took a few steps toward her. "What do you think you feel?"

"I think… you're actually really nice and really smart and… James, I may or may not like you." The last part came out as a jumble of words. She stepped towards him.

"So what do you think we should do?"

Lily looked up at him, her green eyes sparkling in the rays of sunshine that peeked through the windows. "I think that you should kiss me."

The space between the pair went from small to microscopic and his lips were on her lips and her hands were in his hair and if they could have stayed right there for the rest of their lives, they would have been happy forever.

* * *

 **Aw, they're just too cute for me. Hope you liked the story! Leave a review and let me know!**

 **~writergal24**


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